a Colorado columnist and Canon enthusiast

Roots Wellness Studio provides a place for community members to honor themselves

Most salons strive to perfect outer beauty, but Roots Wellness Studio does this while catering to the mind, body and soul.

Emily Nicolaisen and Brittany Anderson opened Roots Wellness Studio in May 2013 to provide a place for people to come and honor themselves.

In the salon, stylists guarantee the use of safe products made from natural resources to respect personal health and the earth.

“I think the number one reason was product,” Nicolaisen said. “I wanted to use something that was safe, and number two, I wanted to offer a space that was artistically beautiful, as well as anybody felt welcome to come in.”

Located in Old Town Square, the studio offers salon services, yoga and occasionally live music to the community. They host live artwork and performances on the first Friday of every month.

“Entrepreneurs who are looking to get a head start and who are artistic, loving, caring and kind — I open my doors for people like you,” Nicolaisen said.

Beginning in December of 2012, Madeline Robinson, a registered yoga teacher and Colorado State University student, started to teach weekly yoga classes at Roots.

Robinson teaches a Vinyasa Flow class Mondays and Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. This style of yoga focuses on the union of movement and breath. Anyone is welcome to join. The first class is free, and the fee is $10 per class after that.

“The thing that I really like about yoga is that I believe there is something in it for everybody,” Robinson said. “It has given me better control over the breath, the mind and the body, which has helped me on and off the mat.”

Robinson hopes to expand her practice and begin teaching a Yin-style class once there are enough students.

Along with yoga, Robinson plans to start leading Kirtan at the studio in June. Kirtan is a style of music designed to quiet the mind.

“It’s rooted in yoga in Ayurvedic tradition, and it just involves the use of mantras and chanting and instruments like harmoniums, crystal bowls, drums, guitars,” Robinson said. “It’s just a nondenominational joining together of voicing with these chants and breath work, and they usually go for, like, two or three hours.”

“I like Roots because of the overall atmosphere of the studio,” McCoy said. “They offer fun and unique services in a beautiful and Bohemian studio. There is no other place like it in Fort Collins.”

Robinson said she strives to create a comfortable environment where her students feel free to connect with what they want and to explore their potential.

“It’s a non-competitive community,” McCoy said. “There (are) no judgments or the ‘perfect yogi.’ It’s a time to honor your own body and not worry about what anyone else is doing.”

Nicolaisen said she hopes members of the community feel welcome to come as they are and to bring what they share.

“I feel like salons in the beauty industry, they’re cookie cutter,” Nicolaisen said. “Everybody needs to be just like the owner and everybody needs to be just like the concept, and my concept is not like that. The more you are like yourself, the better this place is.”